Sharon Girls Head Home for Playoffs

Sharon — For the first time in school history, the Sharon Academy girls soccer team will host a playoff game.

That became a certainty on Saturday as the Phoenix closed the regular season with a 3-2 win over Chelsea, guaranteeing themselves a top-eight finish in Vt. Division IV with an 8-4-2 record.

“This was a first for the girls, and they really deserve it,” said coach Meredith Underhill following the victory.

It didn’t come easy for Sharon on senior day, as Chelsea came in determined to ruin the party. The Red Devils constantly beat Sharon to the ball at midfield, controlling play through the scoreless first half. The visitors even took the lead in the second half before the Phoenix started rising.

Gretta Stack tied the game for TSA, converting a cross from Mallory Lloyd. Greta Binzen then scored off passes from Mollie Faccio and Stack to further pad Sharon’s scoring. Moments later, Faccio put in what turned out to be the game-winner on a corner kick. Sierra Dreesman had most of the play in net, making six saves.

The Phoenix now await the playoff seedings and the starting date. One thing is certain, however — they will be playing that game on their home field.

Wilbraham & Monson 5, KUA 2

Meriden — The visitors jumped out to an early lead and forced Kimball Union to play catch-up the rest of the day

Trailing by two goals just 28 minutes into the game, KUA responded with a pair of scores just four minutes apart to deadlock the contest. Shannon Walsh converted the first on a penalty kick and then scored again when Greta Hulleberg played a ball behind the Wilbraham defense to send Walsh in alone.

The visitors took control from there, however, as KUA was outshot on the day, 13–3. The Wildcats host New Hampton Wednesday.

Boys Soccer

Rivendell 4, Stratton Mtn. 1

Orford — Luke Bell (two goals, assist) scored twice for the second straight game as the Raptors finished the regular season 10-2-2.

Tim Stimson and Bell scored unassisted in the first half for Rivendell, staking the Raptors to a 2-0 halftime lead.

Bell scored on a feed from Scott Calhoun, and Bell set up Sam Emerson to make it 4-0 in the 52nd minute.

Josh Marshall made a pair of saves for the Raptors, who will likely be the No, 5 seed in the upcoming Vermont Division III state tournament.

KUA 4, Tilton 2

Tilton, n.h. — Kimball Union raised its record to 7-0-3 with the two-goal victory.

Tilton scored first off a free kick 20 minutes into the first half, but KUA responded 25 seconds later when Sam O’Shea ran onto Jackson Greenspan’s cross.

The Wildcast took the lead late in the first half when Greenspan got to the back post, cut the ball down the line and banged the ball in off of a Tilton defender.

Two minutes into the second half, Greenspan got his second of the day and a minute later Thomas Hugon scored his first of the year.

KUA is at Worcester Academy Saturday.

Football

Newport 38, Newfound 16

Newport — Sophomore Noah Wade scored four touchdowns to energize the Newport offense as the Tigers solidified their first-place standing in New Hampshire’s Division III West.

The Tigers never trailed, scoring first on a C.J. Lawrence 9-yard run in the first quarter. Derrick Pare made it 12-0 with a six-yard run in the second quarter before Wade got on the board with a 74-yard score. Following a Newfound TD, Jason Teeter took the ensuing kickoff 56 yards, setting up a Wade score from a yard out to close the half with a 24-8 Newport lead.

Wade then scored once in each of the final quarters, first on a 67-yard screen pass from quarterback Tom Hogan, eventually closing the scoring with a 17-yard run with less than 3 minutes to play.

Wade finished with 147 yards on 16 carries, while Lawrence added 63 yards on 12 carries. Hogan was 4-for-9 for 95 yards in the air.

Newport (5-1) hosts Stevens (4-2) Saturday in a big rivalry game that might well determine a playoff berth.

Mascoma 44, Somersworth 34

West Canaan — Senior fullback Eddie Bianco rumbled for four touchdowns as the Royals (4-2) won for the fourth time in five weeks.

Bianco rushed for scoring runs of 3, 10, 1 and 3 yards, the latter two in the second half as the Royals came back from a 21-14 halftime deficit.

Mascoma also broke for a pair of long scoring runs, a 79-yarder from Justin Marsh in the fourth quarter and a 71-yard dash by Andrew Cashe in the second half. Cashe and Kyle Kosiorek also each ran for a pair of two-point conversions as the Royals went for two after each touchdown.

“That was because we know Somersworth is good and scores a lot of points,” said Mascoma coach Ray Kershaw. “We wanted to score as many points as possible.”

The Royals play at Newfound on Saturday.

Stevens 42, Farmington-Nute 6

Farmington, n.h. — With Cardinals coach Paul Silva coaching with a heavy heart, Donald Pellerin scored four times and Stevens improved to 4-2.

“The players were very supportive,” said Silva, whose father, Stevens coaching legend Ralph Silva, passed away Wednesday. “I’m very proud of what they did today.”

After scoring on runs of 5 and 63 yards, Pellerin returned a punt 74 yards and caught a 32-yard score from Ryan Tanguay as time expired in the first half to stake the Cardinals to a 35-0 lead at the break.

The Cards had another special teams score in the first half, with Tanguay blocking a punt and Kai Kleyensteuber recovering in the end zone.

In the fourth quarter, Brandon Bell busted a 77-yard run on the first play of a Stevens drive, then capped it with a 1-yard plunge.

Bryar Rouillard finished 4-for-4 on PATs, and Tanguay found Pellerin for a two-point conversion for Stevens, which plays at Newport next week.

Otter Valley 48, Oxbow 7

Brandon, Vt. — The Olympians finished the regular season 3-5 as the Otters (5-2) controlled throughout.

Freshman quarterback Tristan Longmore found Ethan Johnson for a 40-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for the O’s, who figure to be the No. 8 seed in the Vermont Division III playoffs and play at top-ranked Woodstock on Friday.

Field Hockey

KUA 4, Tilton 1

Tilton, n.h. — Kylie Shileds broke a 1-1 tie, scoring in the final minute of the first half as the Wildcats beat the Rams.

Maya Karosas converted a pass from Meriden’s Kelsey Pollard in the 16th minute for KUA only to have the hosts equalize 30 seconds later. Hannah Madden fed Shields’ game-winning tally. Karosas and Madden scored in the second half for the Wildcats.

Cross Country

Oxbow at NVAC East

East Montpelier, Vt. — Shelby Rosten and Brian Fay had the best days as the Olympians competed in the Northern Vermont Athletic Conference East meet at Union-32.

Rosten finished 11th overall in the girls 5K race, clocking a time of 22 minutes, 36.41 seconds. North Country’s Ellis Avery won the race in 20:27.57. Fay took 22nd among the boys in 18:47.92, trailing Harwood winner Sam Nishi (16:29.25).

The O’s head to Thetford Academy next Saturday for the Vermont Division III state meet.